Spoonfed Linux Tutorials- Installing software from source

[Showstopper]

I will try to make this as "spoonfed" to new linux users as I can. This is one of many tutorials I will be writing.

Spoonfed Linux Tutorials: Installing Software in Linux from the source
By Showstopper

Most applications come in a .tar.gz, .tar.bz2

I am assuming that you downloaded the file to /home/username/

Change to the /home/username/ directory with the cd (change directory) command.

cd /home/username/

Another useful command is ls. When typed it will tell you were the file is.

Next thing to do is unzip the package.

.tar.gz files:

tar -zxvf <filename>

.tar.bz2:

tar -jxvf <filename>

There should be a new directory that you just made containing all the files.

Now change to the directory.

cd <directory>

more INSTALL

Next is to Configure, compile, install.

./configure

make

You may have to switch to the root to install, to do this:

su

then finally make it install.

make install

This was written quickly, If I made a mistake let me know. If there is any questions PM me or post here and I will help you to the best of my ability.

[Jordan]

Very nice tutorial, +rep.
Also for beginners, there is usually a README or INSTALLATION text file in the directory which may have specific instructions for compiling software from source.

[smith]

I've seen some source contain an install script that will do all these steps for you.

[WingedPanther]

It's easy to do, but so many people have issues with installing from source. +rep.

[relapse]

I wonder if people are afraid of "source". Any programmer should be familiar with it.

[WingedPanther]

Many Linux admins are not programmers.